THE University of Galway is calling on the people in Letterkenny to participate in patient discussion groups across Ireland. The aim is to help develop a better understanding of blood pressure, hypertension and cardiovascular health and engage with people directly dealing with these issues.
The discussion groups are supported by a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, patients and researchers alongside community organizations including the Irish Heart Foundation, Croí, and the Irish Kidney Association.
The goal of the campaign is for the University of Galway to lead the development of a plain-language and patient friendly high blood pressure pathway that reflects the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines. They want their reach to span from management in primary care to management in hospital/secondary care for the more complex cases.
The call for participation forms as part of the ongoing work of the Expert Steering Group on Hypertension Management. They made a compelling case to politicians in Leinster House in May for the need to tackle high blood pressure nationally by expanding structured blood pressure screening in primary care and commissioning a regional cardiovascular disease prevention framework with an all-Ireland reach.
Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Ireland, with the Irish Heart Foundation estimating the annual cost to the State is €1.7 billion, approximately half of which comprises direct health service costs.
About 7,500 strokes happen in Ireland each year according to the Irish Heart Foundation, with up to 80% of strokes are preventable through earlier detection and better management of cardiovascular risk factors, especially high blood pressure.
Speaking about the call for patient involvement, Dr. Susan Connolly, Consultant Cardiologist and a member of the Expert Steering Group, said: “Patients have a key role to play in improving their cardiovascular health, and that starts with understanding the risks associated with high blood pressure and hypertension. But the language we use to communicate the risk to our patients and how to reduce that risk through managing their blood pressure is equally important.”
“We are encouraging local patients in Letterkenny to get involved in the development of this pathway to help empower people with a better understanding of these risks.”
“As part of the Expert Steering Group’s work, we are calling for a shift towards a more structured, prevention-focused model that supports earlier detection, timely intervention and ongoing management. This will ultimately help patients reduce their risk of serious cardiovascular events before they occur.”
Dr Natalie Walsh, Co-Lead of PPI Ignite Network Galway at the University of Galway, said: “Patient involvement is central to our work, and we are calling on people to get involved in our discussion groups as we develop the plain-language high blood pressure pathway.”
“Our goal is to create a pathway that empowers people to better understand and manage their high blood pressure, helping to prevent avoidable strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications.”
Discussion groups will be held all over the country and will be in Letterkenny during August and September
The final pathway and supporting resources are expected to be completed by September 2026.
People interested in taking part are asked to contact [email protected] to register their interest by Friday, 31 July.